1. Ohio General Assembly
Education Committee
Budget Hearings
Mr. Chairman
It is indeed an honor to stand before this body to give what I believe is a testimony that
warrants your best consideration. I would be re-missed not to thank this committee and
your capable staff for the very long days and nights yielding fine work for our children
and teachers throughout the budget process. For the record, let me state clearly, I am
for everyone here. My presumption is that you are men and women of goodwill. It is for
this sole reason I am seeking your understanding and support. We must better fund
education in grades K-12 well beyond the rate of inflation. Introspection reveals we are
responsible for the well being of our young. Which one of you are a parent or a
grandparent or soon to be one? Would you feel confident for your kith and kin to be in
this arctic environment enduring withering cuts to public education or the siphoning of
public education dollars to community schools? What can we say about the imposed
battery of tests no one could prepare for; teachers had precious little classroom time if
any to include lessons within their curriculum that gave rise to any other opportunities to
build competence among the ranks. This short notice is a harsh reality, yet when it
comes to the results, their is so much riding on the future. I am here today because it
appears the mechanics in putting our collective money where our mouth is below the
rate of inflation. This is unacceptable. We must fund well beyond the rate of inflation
because we cannot afford not to. What we demand is the adherence to the ink and quill
of the fourteenth amendment that insures due process and the equal protection clause
that refers to public education.
Sitting here, I can only imagine you have heard your share of arguments. It is one thing
to argue the will of the people, but what about the spirit of the law? What about the
legitimate aims of the DeRolph decision, it remains what all of you have sworn to
uphold. How does under-funding grades K-12 honor the spirit of the law and uphold the
edicts of the fourteenth amendment that has stood the test of time in the United States
Constitution? We all know the funding mechanism remains an issue. We cannot, we
must not sit idly by and risk a stale delivery of goods and services to our children and
teachers. In concert with you we must be a part of unleashing the kinetic energy that
leads to a robust momentum to achieve at a high level in public education.
With a sense of urgency this body must act now. The time is now, because families are
in a deficit with stagnant wages. Now, because in order to prepare for a battery of 13-17
tests costing additional time and money to meet this challenge; to date public schools
have not had a quality opportunity to be successful. Now, because tests have been
administered and the wheels are in motion that will impact our children to either pass or

2. fail, attempting to go to the next grade. Moving forward, what would this do for student
and teachers confidence? We are reminded these state dollars are not a result of ill
gotten gain it is our money. It is critical the Education Committee submit an amendment
in said line item....Gifted and Talented
For you see ultimately we must match the Republic of China’s resolve where students
have the highest test scores in the world in math and science despite the geo-political
tension between the mainland and Taiwan. Increased funding better enables Ohio’s
children to go toe to toe with Finland’s world class teachers and training that already
drives a superb Nordic system of education. Even Singapore’s world class approach to
education is something Ohio’s funding must comprehend or else we will be viewing from
behind a spec in the distance far out in front.
I am expecting your support to commit additional funds to let China’s Zhang Wei know
in his native tongue he is no better in science than our Stein. Taiwan’s Chen Wang
must know when he looks on the map that Ohio’s Ferguson is a force to be reckoned
with in reading, writing and arithmetic. Finland’s West, Beyer and Roy must know
beyond a shadow of a doubt the State of Ohio’s William, Wilson, Mitchell and Taylor are
fundamentally equipped to pursue the law and arts. Right now the funding commitment
for public education is barely a whisper. It is disappointingly inadequate leading to
stress and mediocre results. Surely this body does not intend to communicate
mediocrity and half hearted funding.
It is tantamount that we do this today and not let another precious moment slip our
collective conscience. When it comes to earning a fundamental education, time waits
for no one. We live in a day and time where all of us are competing within the
framework of nanoseconds instead of minutes. We no longer boil water, we microwave
it. We don’t hit the tab of an Olivia typewriter we are hitting the enter button as defined
by Apple, Samsung and Dell. We don’t need a quarter to call from a phone booth, we
buy time and data. We cannot wait. We can no longer afford to do so. Mr. Chairman I
encourage this committee’s finger to hit the enter button for more funding. I would
welcome the opportunity to meet with your staff to submit an amendment better
funding....